


Seal of Fate

by llfrozensunll



Category: Ai no Kusabi
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 21:58:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14627859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/llfrozensunll/pseuds/llfrozensunll
Summary: AU. Riki and Katze have been successfully hunting vampires for years. But have they met their match in two powerful ancient vampires? And what has Katze been keeping secret from Riki?





	1. Vampire Hunters

"Yo Katze", Riki said knocking on the washroom door; "We got another sighting this time in the old graveyard at the edge of Ceres."

"OK be there in a second", Katze replied standing in front of the mirror. He pushed back his red hair and leaned over the sink to get a closer look at the small cut just below his right eye. A souvenir from a mid-level vampire he and Riki had bagged that morning.

_Shit! It's been three hours and it's not healed_ ,Katze thought as he prodded the wound. Blood started to well up in the cut and a single drop of blood fell into the sink with a soft _pat_. Katze stared at it transfixed. His stomach growled. He gripped the edges of the sink with now clawed hands as his fangs extended painfully to their full length. Katze looked back up meet his luminous golden gaze in the mirror.

Taking a few deep breaths Katze forced his fangs and nails to retract as he suppressed his vampiric traits.

Katze sighed, _I need to feed I'm even reacting to my own blood and I should have been able to avoid that vamp's attack. It's been months since I fed last. I am growing weak._

With one last glance at his pale face in the mirror he turn and left the washroom.

* * *

Riki was sitting in the car when Katze exited the manor that he and Riki used as their base of operations. Katze opened the passenger side door.

"What took you so long, man? The vamp is getting away."

"Yeah sorry Riki," Katze replied getting into the car.

"What's up with you, man? You've been acting all weird or weirder than usual." Riki said as he peeled out of the driveway.

"It's nothing Riki."

"Katze, come on! You look terrible!"

"It's nothing Riki" Katze said again in a tone that suggested the matter be dropped. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes took one then offered one to Riki.

"OK fine. I'm just worried about you that's all." Riki said taking a cigarette and waited patiently while Katze light it and his. They sat in silence, lost in thought, until Katze opened his window and said, "I know, Riki. I know," before blowing a cloud of smoke out the window watching the trees rush by.

* * *

It was fully dark by the time they pulled into the drive that lead to the remote graveyard. Riki pulled off to the side; they would walk to the graveyard from here so they could move undetected. Katze got out of the car and opened the trunk to pull out the gear.

"What level vamp?" He asked trying to decide between a crossbow and a stake.

"Mid-level I'd say from the report," Riki replied slinging his own crossbow over his shoulder.

Katze grabbed two stakes, putting one in his boot and keeping the other in his hand.

They entered the graveyard silently, listening for movement in the forest that surrounded them. Katze cast his gaze around them, only using his vampiric vision when Riki was looking away from him.

Riki didn't know about his true nature and Katze didn't want him to. Katze knew from experience to keep his vampiric traits a secret. The first time he had told anyone he was just seventeen, and in _love_ , or so he thought. He had told his well "lover" just before they were going to have sex. To say he reacted badly would be an understatement. He started screaming that Katze was a vampire trying to rape him and drink his blood. Katze had barely escaped with his life. Talk about betrayal and heart break.

"Katze..." Riki whispered drawing Katze's attention back to the present to focus on the figure Riki was gesturing to. He, as it was unmistakably male, was standing next to the lone tree in the graveyard and his back was to them.

The first thing Katze noticed was his height; he was tall, taller than Katze which was saying something. As they moved closer it became clear that there was what looked like a body on the ground. Riki motioned to Katze to flank the stranger as he raised his crossbow.

"Hey! You! Turn around slowly!" Riki called to the stranger.

The stranger turned and Riki instinctively took a step back, even though he was already ten feet away. The stranger's eyes were glowing with an inhuman green light, and his lips were drawn back exposing inch long fangs that gleamed in the moonlight.

Everything about him screamed predator.

Riki could feel the vampiric aura surrounding the stranger; it was the more powerful he had ever encountered before in all his years of Hunting.

Riki pulled the trigger on his crossbow, and…

The vampire caught it with what looked like no effort at all; then he laughed, a harsh sound that sent chills down Riki's spine.

"Did you think that would work," the vampire said coldly, tightening his grip on the stake till it shattered under the pressure.

There was a flash of gold and emerald and instantly the vampire was in front of Riki, who didn't even have time to think before he was thrown halfway across the graveyard. Riki crashed into a monument, his head hitting the stone with a resounding _thwack_ ,and he slumped to the ground.

The vampire started toward Riki's unconscious form when out of the shadows Katze leapt at the vampire stake at the ready.


	2. The Frist Seal

Raoul swiftly dodged the attack, turning impossibly fast to catch Katze's wrist and rake his claws viscously down Katze's face leaving four bloody cuts. Katze cried out in pain as the blow forced him to the ground.

Pulling back his hand for another strike, Raoul caught the scent of Katze's blood and froze. Tentatively he brought his hand to his mouth and started licking the blood off of his fingers.

It was delicious.

"You are not human?" Raoul said gazing questioningly down at Katze, who was kneeling and holding his face in agony.

Katze took a few gasping breaths to push back the wave of pain before looking up at the vampire.

"No," he said in his deep baritone, golden eyes flashing with a very inhuman light. Suddenly he leapt at Raoul fangs bared and claws out.

Raoul swiftly dodged the vicious claws and moved out of range of Katze's attacks. Grinning he moved faster than Katze could follow even with his vampiric gaze. Suddenly the ancient vampire had Katze pinned to a tree, arms twisted behind his back.

He was holding back before, Katze realized.

Raoul nuzzled Katze's neck taking in the scent of Katze's blood. Human yet... Vampire.

"Ahhh, you're a dhampir, how rare."

"Let me go," Katze protested struggling against Raoul's superior strength.

"And why would I do that?" He replied with an amused chuckle.

"Never mind, you're going to be dead in minute anyway. Dhampir blood is poison to vampires."

Raoul just laughed and leaned in closer.

"On the contrary your blood is delicious," he whispered as he licked at the half healed wounds on Katze's face, removing the blood and healing them completely. "Yes, absolutely superb!"

"What? How?" Katze asked in confusion, trying to move away from the strange sensations Raoul's tongue was causing as he licked down Katze's neck.

"I am an ancient, little one your blood cannot harm me."

Katze was shocked all his life he had been haunt by the fact that he was poisonous. His first time actually having sex was with a vampire. When he had inevitably bitten Katze during sex he had died from the poison shortly after. Even when Katze bit a human they died from the poison in his bite. To hear that he might have a chance at love without hurting anyone made Katze stop struggling.

"I can see you hesitate to believe my words. Then let me show you." Raoul extended his fangs fully and scrapped them along Katze's throat just over a vein. Katze whimpered at the pleasant sensation. Suddenly Raoul bit into the vein and drank slowly savouring the flavour that was all Katze, Human and vampire, the perfect balance.

Katze shuddered in pleasured bliss. Getting bitten by a vampire was one of the most pleasurable experiences anyone could have but getting bit by an ancient was a hundred times that.

Katze's body reacted to Raoul's bite as his veins filled with pure lust. Raoul groaned when his own body started to become aroused at the new taste in Katze's blood. Raoul bit down harder. It was heaven. The blood was endless and absolutely exquisite. Raoul could feel Katze's human heart beat in each wave of blood, it was strong and unwavering. Immortal.

Raoul was snapped back to his senses with that realization. He had to force himself to stop drinking realizing that the signs that would tell him when to stop would never come. Katze's heart would never slow like a human's would. It would produce blood endlessly because it was immortal.

Interesting, Raoul thought, I would never have to go looking for blood...or companionship he added hastily as Katze's body arched into his making delicious contact in all the right places.

Katze whimpered in loss when Raoul retracted his fangs and stepped away after laving the two puncture wounds with saliva to heal them.

He really didn't need to heal Katze because of he had his own regenerative abilities, but he hated the thought of marking that beautiful creamy skin.

Raoul turned Katze around gently pushing his back against the tree. Katze looked up at him with dazed eyes; his pupils were blown wide with lust. He was panting heavily and his fangs were extended. It took all of Raoul's will power to tamp down his own lust and arousal. This was not the time or place for satisfying baser urges.

"What is your name little one?" Raoul asked as he moved even closer to his golden eyed beauty.

"K-Katze," Katze managed between panted breaths trying to get his body under control; which was really hard to do with an extremely sexy ancient vampire, who had just given you the best sexual experience of your life without even touching you, only inches from your face.

"Katze," Raoul repeated rolling it off his tongue.

Raoul leaned even closer.

"It is beautiful," he said as his eyes locked on Katze's pink tongue as it darted out to wet his full red lips nervously.

"Th-thanks," Katze breathed and Raoul parted his lips to catch that breath.

Flicking his stunning emerald eyes back up to Katze's golden gaze He said, "I am sorry Katze but this will hurt."

Katze had no time to respond before Raoul bent the last few inches and captured Katze's lips in a possessive searing kiss.

Katze parted his lips and let Raoul claim his mouth with tongue and teeth. He was lost to the sensations, gasping as Raoul started kissing down his neck. Then suddenly there was a sharp pain as Raoul bit into the side of his throat. Unlike before this was not for pleasure. Katze screamed silently as the pain took away his breath. He could feel something being injected into his blood and underneath the skin of his neck. The pain got more intense and Katze felt his consciousness slipping as he passed out.

Raoul retracted his fangs as Katze slumped into him. Gazing down at the beauty in his arm his placed a loving kiss on his forehead before tilting his head to the side to admire his work. Raoul purred in delight as he saw the perfect black swirls and curves of his vampiric seal emblazoned on Katze's flesh.

Seeing it brought forth an all-consuming possessive feeling that had him tightening his arms around Katze's limp form.

Mine, he thought as his picked up Katze into his arms and started back into the forest leaving the other hunter forgotten and unconscious in the graveyard.


	3. Deeper

Sunlight was just kissing the tops of the trees when the limp form on the ground at the edge of the graveyard started to stir. This small movement was accompanied by low groans of pain and softly spoken curses.

Riki drug himself up slowly to lean back against what he assumed was the headstone that he had hit. "Uh, my head," Riki said aloud into the empty morning mist. Reaching up to probe the back of his head gently, cursing when he hit a tender spot he pulled his hand back, it had a bit of dried blood on it but nothing fresh.

Good it healed already. I don't know what those bastards did but it works.

Riki shuddered at the memory. It had been a long time since then it was before vampire hunting, before Katze even, well not exactly it was how he met Katze actually. He had saved him. He had helped him escape from Guardian and their sick experiments that they had done to him and his gang.

My gang.. Another painful memory.

"That knock to the head must have been worse than I thought," Riki said chuckling humorlessly to himself, "I haven't thought about that stuff in years."

Hoisting himself up he suddenly remembered the event of the previous evening. "Katze! Where are you? Katze!" he yelled looking frantically around. The redhead was nowhere to be seen and Riki's eyes came to rest on the now rotting corpse on the ground over by the lone tree in the graveyard.

"Shit!" Riki cursed remembering the body from the night before. Probably some poor bastard from the town. He thought jogging over to examine the remains, stopping abruptly when it came into full view.

A vampire. It's severed head was laying a few paces away from the body, with fangs still fully extended. It looked as if it had been ripped off, and the main body was a mess of deep gashes that looked like they were many with claws. Vampire claws, Riki realized, that vampire last night killed it.

The first question that came to Riki's mind was, Why? Why would one vampire kill another?

Of course it was not unheard of but vampires were so few these days that it was rare, very rare. Unless it was a turf war, one vampire encroaching on another's feeding grounds, but if that was the case why was he still alive. Surely the vampire would have killed and fed off him, but he didn't and he was nowhere to be found.

Riki signed trying to remember some more details from last night, trying for a clue that would tell him where Katze was.

It came back in flashes. First the wicked strong vampire, shooting the vampire, vampire not dying, flying through the air, pain, then…. What?

"Talking!" Riki exclaimed. He remembered through the haze of pain exploding through his skull that Katze had been talking to someone no not someone the vampire. He could recall hearing someone whimper and something about delicious blood.

"That bastard!" Riki yelled suddenly, scaring away some scavenging birds. That bastard drank from Katze! He took him for food! Riki started jogging for the car. Judging by all of the other vampire he had encountered he would have till sundown to find Katze, before that vampire was awake again.

Thank you sunlight! He thought as he reached the car. It was useless to try and track a vampire they were the ultimate predator, made for stealth. Katze kept meticulous records of vampire encounters and sightings. Maybe there was information about super powerful vampires and where to find them or better yet…

How to kill them.

Raoul slowed to a brisk walk as he approached the entrance to the cave. The sun shone through the overhead canopy of trees in small patches, but Raoul didn't notice or care. Upon entering he cast his glowing emerald eyes around till they finally resting on a small arcane symbol carved into the stone.

Shifting Katze gently and bracing him against his chest with one arm leaving a hand free. Extending his fangs he bit down on his thumb just piercing the skin, blood welled in the wound. Raoul pressed his now bloody thumb print onto the symbol in the wall. It glowed slightly as the blood was absorbed by the swirling symbol, a blood lock.

Raoul laved his wound to clean the extra blood way before picking Katze up again with both arms. He continued walking forward deeper into the cave, coming to a stop at another arcane symbol this time carved into the floor.

Suddenly the cave started to quake with the rumble of stone against stone, and the wall in front of Raoul began to move, glowing like the blood lock. Raoul swiftly entered the large passage that was revealed.

He walked deeper and deeper until the end of the passage started to brighten with the light of phosphorescent lichen growing on the stone. Standing at the end of the passage at the top of an underground cliff, Raoul looked out over a vast and thriving city.

"Welcome to Tanagura, Katze," he murmured leaning down to kiss the beautiful creature in his arms.


	4. Discovery

*thump*

Riki dropped another large leather-bound volume onto table in the library, coughing as his fanned the dust cloud that it caused. Riki sighed as he flipped through the ancient pages of what had to be the hundredth volume he had search, with no luck. The library was completely ripped apart, stacks of books were piled all around him, and the shelves were practically bare.

Katze would kill me if he saw this, Riki thought wryly. The library was Katze's favourite place in the manor more so than even his own room, which wasn't surprising considering this was were Katze spent most of his, time doing research. Between his terminal and these ancient books Katze seemed to have information on everything from, science, supernatural creatures to the blueprints of the manor, which happened to be what Riki was looking at now.

Having finished off the last book he had moved on to a large decrepit looking tube that had the blueprints rolled up inside. He laid the yellowy aging paper carefully on the desk weighting each curling corner with a book. It looked like a hand drawn floor plan for the east wing of the manor, where the library was located. He glanced at the chrono stamp at the bottom of the plan, which dated it at more than a two hundred years old.

Wow I didn't think the manor was that old. Katze said he had owned it since it was built, maybe he meant his family owned it. Riki thought, a small sliver of unease worked it's way up his spine. It didn't seem right Katze always meant exactly what he said even if it sounded ridiculous, and he had never lied once to Riki. That was one of the reasons Riki had stayed with him after Guardian, Katze had been good to him, he was like a father and a brother. Riki knew that under Katze's cold demeanor and stoic mask, he was a very kind generous person.

Well he did take in a fifteen year old damaged kid and nursed him back to health,Riki thought with a smile. He would never be able to repay Katze for saving him from Guardian or for taking him in, looking out for him for these five years and most of all for helping him to heal. Guardian's experiments had left him broken not just physically but emotionally as well.

Riki shuddered, I need stop thinking about Guardian and focus on finding Katze.

With that thought Riki turned back to the blueprints on the desk, frowning when something caught his eye. Suddenly he looked up casting his eyes around the library taking in the size of the room before glancing back at the plans. The dimensions of the library in the drawing didn't match up with the dimensions of the actual room.

"Katze, you suspicious bastard you made a secret room," Riki said with a wry smile.

"Master Raoul", came a voice through Raoul's bedroom doorway followed by a light knock on the open door.

"What is it Kai?", Raoul replied from his position on the edge of his bed next to Katze's still slumbering form.

"You have been summoned to Lord Iason's chambers, Sir"

Raoul hummed his acknowledgment brushing a lock of fiery red hair from Katze's pale face. He closed his eyes to better feel the new mental link that was forming between him and Katze. He could feel Katze's mind working, trying to process the connection created by the vampiric seal. He probed the new area in his mind that represented Katze's consciousness and was surprised when it probed back. He let out a startled gasp, his eyes flying open, humans were not capable using such a power.

All pets and servants had a vampiric seal so their masters could control, discipline and keep track of them, but it was always a one sided connection. The 'sealed', as they were called could not even feel the link unless there master wished them to.

Raoul chuckled to himself. "You are proving to be more that I could have imagined. Wake soon, my Katze," he said placing a kiss on those perfect full lips before rising to face his servant.

"Notify me the moment he awakens", he ordered, "I will be detained in chambers for the rest of the day".

Raoul walked long ornate hallway that led to the grand council chambers. It was lined with intriguing designs of glowing lichen and huge painted reliefs detailing the history of the ancients.

Most of the ancients resided here in Tanagura, but there were a few that lived in the other underground cities, mainly the lower ranked of the elite vampires. They usually acted as the overseers for outlying cities.

Ranking among the ancient elite vampires was denoted by the color of their hair with onyx the lowest, blond the very top, with ruby, jade, sapphire and platina in between.

Currently there were only seven of the highest ranking ancients, or Blondies, left. Tasked by Jupiter, their creator, with ruling over all of vampire kind. They made up the grand council with the first, most powerful ancient vampire at its head, Iason Mink.

Many feared him and with good reason he was always calm and calculating - ten steps ahead of his enemies. Even Raoul, his second in command, found it tricky to keep up with him at times. He was the perfect leader in every way and Raoul wondered briefly if Jupiter,their creator, had that in mind when she created him, it was entirely possible.

Raoul pulled his thoughts back to the present as he reached the large doors of the grand council chambers. Pushing open the heavy doors with ease, he entered and swiftly skirted around the large oval table in the middle of the room where they sat when the high council was convened. He knocked on a smaller but no less ornate door at the back of the chamber, Iason's private office. The door opened and Raoul was greeted by Iason's personal servant, Cal, who led Raoul to the main sitting room before excusing himself to fetch his master.

Raoul didn't have to wait long before Iason entered through the opposite door. He was resplendent in white satin, with his long pale blonde hair falling in silkily straight lines down his back.

"Raoul, how was the mission?" Iason said motioning for Raoul to be seated in the chair across the low table from him.

"This so called 'vampire' I went to find had even less information than the last few we have encountered. They're abominations Iason, every time I taste their blood I feel sick. There has to be a better way to gain information on they're creator." Raoul said, his lips twisted in a mote of disgust at the memory of reading the blood memories of that creature.

"I fear you are right, Raoul, it is something we must discuss with the council", Iason said turning his icy blue eyes to Raoul's emerald ones, "Now what is this I hear about you bringing an outsider here, and a human no less."


	5. Further

Raoul chuckled cause Iason to arch an eyebrow in question, "Yes I suppose he does appear to be human but I can assure you Iason that his is not. He is like us."

"Interesting Gideon was most specific in his report, when he said it was a human. Care to explain why what Gideon tells me looks smells and sounds like a human is in fact not one," Iason asks, his tone serious.

"He is a Dhampir," Raoul stated quickly to appease Iason, "And from what I can tell from his blood his sire was an ancient."

"A Dhampir?" Iason said in rare surprise, "And where pray tell did you find such a rarity?"

Raoul smiled, "From what I could tell he was hunting our 'vampire'."

"That is most interesting I wish to speak to this...?"

"Katze," Raoul supplied.

"And where is Katze now, Raoul?" Iason questioned.

"He is resting in my chambers. I.." Raoul trailed off unsure if he wanted to tell iason of strange new bond forming between Katze and him, due to his seal. He glanced up at Iason who was waiting patiently for Raoul to continue.

"I put my seal on him," Raoul stated plainly watching Iason's features closely for a reaction.

"I see," Iason replied his face an unreadable mask, "But that is not all, I think, that troubles you."

Raoul was not for the first time, taken aback by Iason's uncanny ability of insight, "My seal on Katze is changing and evolving of its own will. I can feel Katze's presence in my mind. It is like he is an extension of myself, his emotions feel like my own."

Iason chuckled and Raoul frown, "It is hardly amusing Iason."

"My apologies Raoul, but it seems as though you have found your blood mate."

"I..is that possible," Raoul said shocked.

"Of course, any that share the blood of the ancients no matter the amount can be the fated life mate of an ancient vampire."

The ancient torch roared to life in Riki's hand with just the touch of a match.

"Shit," Riki exclaimed as he quickly stomped out the match he dropped on the stone stairs.

It had taken him a good two hours to find the switch for the secret door in the library. Katze had hidden it well, but Riki found it out of pure desperation and effort. Once found it triggered a mechanism that opened a narrow door amongst the book shelves. Behind the door a stone staircase that lead down into darkness was reveal. Now with a lit torch in hand Riki descended the stairs into what appeared to be a large underground chamber.

The chamber was filled wall to wall with scientific equipment. Riki looked closely at one shelve and it was full of vials of strange chemicals some supernatural some not.

"What were you doing down here Katze?" Riki wondered aloud, glancing at all the shelves and tables looking for something about vampires.

Something glinting in the torch light caught Riki's eye. It was a row of vials sitting in a rack on a large table near the back of the room, he moved in for a closer look. The vials contained a dark red liquid that reminded Riki of preserved blood.

Blood samples? He thought, Why would Katze have those?

The rest of the table held neat stacks of journals and notes all but a few showing Katze's handwriting. Riki picked up a small journal titled, Vampires and Ancients, he tucked it under his arm to take back upstairs to read in the better light.

He continued to peruse the table looking for any more promising information when he saw an official looking folder that labeled Z-5518 and it carried an all too familiar crest emblazoned on the front, Guardian.

Riki picked up the folder slowly almost as if it would hurt him and read the small note attached on the front in Katze's handwriting it stated simply, Riki.

...Ancients...Raoul...Fated...Blood Mate

Katze tossed and turned fitfully in on the silk sheets of Raoul's of thoughts and memories not his own flashed through Katze's subconscious.

One thought seemed to be repeating, getting louder as it became the focus of Katze's mind.

…Blood…Blood...BLOOD!

Katze's eyes snapped open, they were glowing golden, bright with primal need. The hunger was overwhelming. Katze's fangs and claws extended to their full length and the instinctual need to feed overtook him.

He was at the bedroom door with inhuman speed, all his senses heightened and focused on the small human heartbeat in the adjacent room. He slowly opened the door as to not alert his prey.

In the main room of Raoul's chambers Kai was quietly clean oblivious to the predator stalking him quietly from the shadow ready to pounce.


	6. Fate

"Two Thousand years Iason! I have been in existence for two thousand years. I have spend more than half of that searching for my mate and find him now, by pure coincidence." Raoul exclaimed heatedly, standing to pace slightly in front of his chair, his deep purple robes swishing with the movement.

"Not coincidence, fate. It was Jupiter's last gift to us, Raoul, that we my find one who compliments and completes us so we will never be alone as she was," Iason replied calmly, arching an elegant blonde eyebrow at Raoul's suddenly emotion.

"She wove the very threads of fate into our blood to give us this blessing but fate is a fickle thing not to be controlled. As such uncertainty is the price we pay, never knowing when or who our blood mate will be. Be grateful you have found yours because for some it becomes a curse, finally finding their mate only to see them die moments later," Iason pause to take an offered drink from Cal, who had just entered with a tray and two glasses of wine.

Cal set Raoul's glass down on the table before excusing himself, as Raoul made no attempt to take it, too caught up in a faint emotion he was starting to feel coming through his bond with Katze. He pushed it to the back of his mind as Iason continued, "Jupiter was only able to grant us one chance to tempt fate, Raoul, so I suggest you hold on to your Katze with all of your strength."

"Iason I…" Raoul stopped abruptly, suddenly feeling an overpowering urge to feed that wasn't his own. He could feel as his fangs starting to ache and extend in response. "I..I.. must go.." he said quickly, rushing from the room with inhuman speed.

"Go, Raoul, your Katze needs you," Iason said with an amused smile, taking a sip of his wine.

Katze darted forward grabbing Kai, one hand in his hair pulling his head back the other pushing on his shoulder to expose his neck. Katze reared back fangs at the ready about to strike when he suddenly felt a searing pain radiating from the seal on his neck, allowing a bit of his consciousness to seep through.

No not this one...

He leant forward and sniffed his prey, which was whimpering incoherently. The smell was wrong, but there was a hint of the scent he was searching for there, a seal of ownership.

Suddenly the front door crashed open to reveal a very disheveled looking Raoul, fangs extend to full length and eyes glowing with a bright green light. Katze released Kai, who dropped unceremoniously into a heap on the floor in panic.

Pinning Katze with a smoldering gaze that seemed to freeze him in place, Raoul said, "Get out, Kai, now!"

The servant scrambled to obey, reaching the door in record time, sliding past his master as Raoul slowly moved toward the feral Katze. Never breaking eye contact, knowing what little control the seal gave him would be lost if he did. He could sense Katze's hunger grow at his appearance through their ever growing bond. Raoul gently placed his hands on Katze's shoulders, he could feel his body shaking with the lust for blood.

"Come, Katze," Raoul said projecting calming emotion in his voice and through the bond, "We must complete our bond."

"Do not worry I will feed you, but I wish to be comfortable when I do," he added when Katze made a noise that almost sounded like a growl, motioned to the bedroom door.

He lead Katze, who was calm for the moment, to the large bed in the center of the chamber and slowly sat down on the bed pulling Katze down with him so he was straddling Raoul's legs.

Raoul took Katze's hands in his, "Katze I know it is hard for you to contain your hunger right now, but I need you to listen. If you feed from me we will be forever bound together, as blood mates. Do you understand?"

Drawing strength from the calming emotions Raoul was projecting Katze manage to pull enough of himself together to momentarily break through the primal haze shrouding his mind to respond, "Y..ye..yes…"

"Good! Then we will continue," Raoul said drawing the collar of his shirt to the side, exposing his neck and the top of his shoulder.

"W...wait...w...wh..what?" Katze stammered as Raoul wrapped a hand around the base of his skull and pulled him forward to meet the now bare skin.

Raoul chuckled, amused.

"Did you think you would have a choice? Oh Katze, My Katze, I have waited a long time for you and now that I finally have you I will never let you go. You are mine." he said tightening his grip possessively.

"Now, feed!" Raoul ordered, pushing all of his own hunger and desire through their bond.

Losing the calming effects of Raoul's emotions, what was left of Katze's consciousness was was swept away in an overwhelming wave of desire. He suddenly reared back before striking, biting into Raoul's neck. He let out a loud moan of pleasure to match Raoul's soft one, his fangs sinking in deeper to reach that which he craved most, the blood of his mate.


	7. Revelation

Riki clicked on the lamp on Katze's large mahogany desk. He forced himself to read the vampire journal first because finding Katze was top priority right now.

He opened the book, scanning the pages for anything on location. He found, to his surprise, that the book was written in Katze's distinctive hand.

This must be Katze's research.

After an hour Riki closed the book and set it on the desk, stretching the kinks out of his back with a sigh, "Nothing."

Most of the pages were written in a strange language that Riki couldn't decipher, but there were some notes in Cerean in the margin and diagrams that were helpful. It seemed that Katze had discover that there was two races of Vampires.

No…that's not it. Riki thought to himself, there are Ancients and then the abominations that we have been hunting up to this point so called 'Vampires'.

Apparently 'Vampires', according to Katze's notes were created by Guardian as a byproduct of their experiments trying to replicate the power that the Ancients possessed. After read the journal Riki was convinced that Katze was taken by an Ancient, He was too powerful and intelligent to be just a Vampire. Plus, he had never seen a Vampire able to defeat Katze, tough bastard.

It seemed that Katze's research into the location of the Ancient's didn't extend passed the name, Tanagura which was unfortunately only mentioned as a myth. According to a note Katze left on the page he appeared to believe that this may hold the answer and required further research. One thing that Riki noticed was the constant reference to Guardian. Katze seemed to think that they had, if not all of them at least some of, the answers.

Guardian…Those bastards…Of course they would have a hand in this.

Riki grabbed the the file labeled Riki off the desk causing a single sheet of paper to slip out of the front. Riki picked it up; it was a letter from Katze to...Him?

Riki,

If you are reading this then the worst has happened and I am missing or more likely dead, and you have found my old lab under the library. Good Job.

Riki snorted of course Katze would use even this opportunity as a teaching moment.

This file contains all of the information Guardian had about the experiments they did on you. I am sorry Riki but I was unable to obtain information on your gang before I was discovered.

I will warn you Riki the information that follows that will change you and how you perceive (or perceived) me. I would think no less on you if you stop now.

Riki snorted again, Fat chance!

I knew you would not stop…

Riki I will summarize all of the technical jargon in this file for you. As far as I can tell Guardian was trying to recreate various types of supernatural creatures, Ancients, Were-creatures and the like.

They were having difficulty with the Ancients because their blood was too for want of a better word 'dominant' for a human and poisonous to other supernatural creatures, suffice it to say they did not survive. That is when they had the idea to combine Were blood and blood of the Ancients hoping that the shifting nature of the Were would change the human enough to accept that of the Ancients.

You are the result of these experiments, Riki, but, there is more I have to tell you.

That night I broke you out of Guardian you were dieing. They must have just injected you with their latest concoction and it was not working.

When I found you I tried everything I could think of to save you but nothing would work. Finally, as a last effort I gave you my blood.

Which leads me to another tough revelation, I am not human or not entirely. I am a Dhampir, half-human and half-Vampire (Ancient). I do not know what that makes you Riki, but I have been seeking answers.

Riki could not believe what he was reading that Katze had lied to him, no, he stopped himself, he just didn't tell me everything.

I know that I leave you with many questions Riki and I am sorry. Just know that I love you as a son and brother.

If you are ever in desperate need and all else seems lost, drink the blood.

Katze

The letter slipped from Riki's slacked grip and gently floated to the floor. He was in shock, why didn't Katze tell me? Did he think I couldn't handle it?! I had a right to know!

Riki slammed his fist down on the desk hard, the wood creaked under the suddenly strain, "Dammit Katze! Why?!"

Riki knew, in that moment, what he had to do, where he had to go, where all his questions could be answered.

Guardian...


	8. Recovery

I feel amazing, was Katze's first thought as he slowly blinked his eyes open.

He felt full, sated, completely content, there really wasn't a word to describe the feeling, because he had never felt like this before.

"Powerful, is the word you're thinking of," came a deep husky voice from behind him.

It was only then that Katze realised where he was and who he was with and… how naked they both were.

Katze lept off the bed in flurry of silk sheets.

"Wha-… who…" Katze started to question but stopped suddenly and clasped his head in his hands, images flooding his mind.

He could see a fuzzy image of himself in his vampiric aspect. Then another image of a tall blonde ancient with ice blue eyes speaking yet Katze could not understand what he was saying; it seemed muffled somehow as if he was hearing it underwater.

Katze gasped realizing that these were memories, but not his own.

"Ah," said Raoul, the vampire still leisurely lying on silken sheets, "You seem to be feeling the effects of our blood bond."

"Blood bond?" Katze asked rubbing at his temples trying to relieve the tension there.

"Yes, I put my seal on you do not remember?"

Katze suddenly got an image of himself with a very intricate black pattern centered around the bite mark that Raoul had left on him after their fight. Katze reached for his neck feeling the slightly raised scars of the bite.

"Yes I do remember," he replied to the honey blonde that was watching him curiously, "but I do not recall ever hearing of a seal that creates a two way exchange of thought and memory."

"I see. Perhaps you know it by another name, a soul bond or a... Seal of Fate."

Katze's eyes widened, Seal of Fate?, he remembered hearing that exact phrase from someone else a long time ago…

His mother.

She had always said that his father and her shared such a bond.

"Really?" Raoul said, his blond brows furrowing, "Your parents shared a bond yet you are only half ancient?"

Katze flinched and quickly turned his eyes back to Raoul, "You can hear my thoughts, can't you?"

Raoul chuckled distracted from thoughts of Katze's parents, "Not so much as reading your thoughts as just catching images from your memory. I have been told that as our bond grows stronger the exchange of information between us will grow as well. Our current bond is just thoughts and images of memories soon it will expand to include complete memories as we have experienced them."

"I can't say I'm looking forward to that," Katze said in a quiet murmur.

Raoul chuckled again, "I cannot say the same, my beautiful Katze. A Seal of Fate cannot be broken. It was our last gift from our Creator Jupiter, that we may find the one who shares the blood of ancients that is our perfect equal and opposite. Our true love, to borrow a human term."

Katze shifted uncomfortably pulling the sheet he managed to grab tighter around his waist. He knew what Raoul was saying was not wrong. He had finally found someone with which he could be himself and share his entire being with. Katze felt excited and happy for once in a long long time. But that did not completely remove his feeling of unease at being thrust into an entirely new situation with little to no information with which to rely on. The last time he felt this so unknowledgeable, uninformed, was when he had decided to take in Riki.

"Riki!" Katze exclaimed with alarm, "What happened to Riki?" he asked Raoul sending a mental image of Riki along with his question. He was starting to get a handle on how to utilize their bond.

Raoul suddenly looked embarrassed and slightly ashamed, "I am sorry Katze but I was so excited by my discovery of you that I completely put your friend from my mind."

"What!? You left him there injured in a graveyard easy prey to any vampire that could get him!?"

"I am sorry Katze," Raoul said again, trying to send feelings of remorse and apology across their bond, as he stood from the bed. "I will of course help you retrieve your friend and make sure he is all right before you move completely into Tanagura."

"Of course," Katze started to agree before taking in everything that Raoul said, "Tanagura? That's just a legend!"

Raoul smiles, "I assure you it is not, Katze. You are in Tanagura now. But as time is of the essence to find your friend I will get my servant to find you some clothing that you may wear to an audience with Iason."

"Iason," Katze questioned with a confused look.

"Yes the leader of all the Ancients," Raoul replied and Katze suddenly got an image of the Blonde he had seen earlier from Raoul's memories.

"Iason wished to speak with you once you were... yourself again," Raoul said referring to Katze's earlier blood frenzy.

Katze flinched, "Yes, I'm very sorry for my conduct earlier," he said in a very formal tone with a bow.

Raoul looked at Katze surprised, "I am impressed that you have not gone into a blood frenzy earlier, Katze. You were half starved! When was the last time you truly fed?"

Katze could not hold his gaze and he quickly glanced away. The last time he fed was only months ago but that's not what Roaul meant. He meant when was the last time he had truly fed enough so that the hunger was completely gone. Katze couldn't remember the last time that he had not felt hungry. He's not sure if he had ever not felt the thirst constantly in that dark corner of his mind where his vampiric side lurked.

"Just as I thought," Raoul said with a certain amount of sadness. "Believe me when I say this Katze. No longer will you be hungry, that is another blessing of our bond. We will always be here to provide for each other."

Katze felt an emotion stirring somewhere deep in his heart that he had not felt since he first took Riki in, love.

Raoul smiled a secretive smile when Katze looked away again at his declaration. He could feel the soft warm emotions starting to form in Katze's heart.

"Come let us cleanse ourselves and prepare for our audience with Iason."

"Yes," Katze agreed with a blush staining his normally pale cheeks.


	9. Blood

Standing in front of the large ornate doors to Iason's council Chamber, Katze started to fidget.

When the door open he jumped; Raoul chuckled, "It will be all right Katze. I'll be there with you the entire time."

"And why doesn't that make me feel more comfortable?" Katze mumbled. He took a deep breath to calmed himself, and don his usual calm detached demeanor. He and Raoul followed one of Iason's servants down the bioluminescent corridors. Katze admired the intricate designs the glowing lichen on the walls created, Vampiric Seals, he belatedly realized. There was power running through these corridors Katze could feel it now, tugging at his vampiric nature. His fangs started to descend, he could feel his finger nails start to grow and sharpen, and he knew by the way his gaze had sharpened that his irises had begun to glow around his now slit pupils.

"Raoul!" Katze exclaimed, his voice layered in the mesmeric quality of a true Ancient, "What is ha-happening?"

"Oh Katze..." Raoul replied his tone sounding almost reverent, "It is your true form revealing itself, the runes in this chambers are ones of truth, so none may speak lies while within them, nor hide their true nature."

"Bu-but this feels different.. like more, somehow", Katze said, trying to calm himself and adjust to the new sensations he was feeling, like Raoul's renewed arousal. "Raoul!".

Chuckling again Roual replied, "I am sorry Katze you are just so beautiful like this."

"Am I interrupting something." A cool voice said from behind them. Just then Katze realized that they had come to an ornately decorated chamber with a large stone table in the center that looked like it was carved directly out of the rock floor. The glowing patterns from the walls in the corridor extended to the ceiling and floor of this chamber and all seemed to cut a path directly to the center of the stone table. Where the lines connected in the center of the table it sloped downwards into a bowl like indentation and was filled with a strange luminescent silver liquid that seemed to be the source of the strange power.

"No of course not, Iason" Raoul's voice brought Katze's focus back to the tall pale blonde figure now standing next to him.

Katze saw quick rush of memories of Iason through his bond with Raoul, but they didn't do Ancient vampire justice. His very presence held an almost overwhelming command, sending a thrill of fear down Kate's spine.

It's amazing, Katze thought - suddenly grateful that Raoul was there with him, that so much power can be contained in such an elegant form.

Iason's icey blue eyes took in Katze's vampiric form with interest, "You must be Katze. Raoul has told me so much about you."

Looking into those feral eyes, Katze felt the fear rising to choke him, stopping any words he might have said. This is an apex predator, he thought, the leader of the most powerful race on Amoi.

"Now Iason, no need to intimidate him," Raoul said with a sharp, fang filled, smile and a subtle growl to his words. He moved his body slightly in front of Katze's in what was a blatant protective gesture. Katze felt Raoul's possessive instincts rise at Iason's predatory gaze.

Iason smiled, his demeanor shifting into to something slightly less than threatening

"So Katze tell me how you came to be in that graveyard.'

"I was hunting", he replied trying to quell his nervousness.

"Hunting…..what exactly?" asked Iason.

"Vampires," Katze answered.

"Why were you hunting the particular vampire?" Iason raised a pale eyebrow.

"Because it was a product of the sick experiments done in Guardian. They are no better than beasts driven mad by their hunger," Katze replied with disgust clear in his voice.

"Guardian!" Raoul raged, "Is that where these abominations are coming from?"

"Calm yourself Raoul," Iason said in a cool voice, "Tell us more of this Guardian, Katze, and how you came to know of it."

"I was looking for a particular scientist and I followed his trail to a secret facility deep in the woods far away from any civilization. I was able to infiltrate it and saw the experiments happening. They were trying to make Vampire-Were hybrids but they were all going terribly wrong. The scientist I was looking for was the key to their experiments. They were starting to see some successes and I knew I had to stop it but by the time I got there the scientist was gone; so I sabotage their work and burnt the facility to the ground with all of its Abominations inside."

Suddenly the glowing seals on the walls pulsed with new light. Katze clutched his head in pain.

"It seems there's something you are not telling us Katze," Iason said raising an eyebrow curiously. "Perhaps you would like to share the truth, the whole truth. This room will not allow you to do anything else and neither will I."

Katze thought frantically, They cannot find out about Riki. If they knew of him they would surely kill him on sight. A being such as him they would not be allowed to live. He should not exist.

"I cannot tell you any more than that," he said, steeling himself against Iason's penetrating stare.

Raoul could feel Katze's conflicting emotions, fear and indecision. He spoke up before Iason could make any threats. "Katze, I can tell that this is troubling you, but you can trust are one of us now. You are my mate and I would never do anything to hurt you."

Katze could feel the warm feelings that Raoul was sending his way. He knew that he was telling the truth. With a defeated sigh Katze spoke. "One of the experiments survived. He was the last and most successful but they hadn't quite figured out how to stably combine Were DNA with Vampire DNA. After reading the research I knew the combination of the human and the Were DNA was causing the substandard Vampire DNA to be subsumed. So I... gave him the blood of a Human/Ancient Hybrid. My blood. It allowed the Were DNA to pair with the Ancient, to heal him, to complete what they had done. And save his life."

"Katze how could you give precious Ancient blood to such an abomination." Raoul questioned furiously, "It cannot live! If the other Creatures of the Night found out about this, about him, they would rise up against us. Although we are powerful, we are few and with their greater numbers they could overwhelm us. Turning all order to chaos. Many lives would be lost in this battle that would last an eternity."

"The Great Goddess Jupiter would not allow such a thing and neither can I," Iason said his voice, turning cold. His power becoming palpable in the room, the veins of light pulsing with his barely contained rage. "Under our laws Katze you would suffer the same fate as your abomination but since you were unaware and are Raoul's Fated One I will allow this to pass."

Katze let out a sigh of relief.

"Provided of course," Iason continued, "that you lead us to the abomination so that it may be…disposed of.

"I would never betray Riki to you, he is like a son to me, I have cared for him for years!" Katze exclaimed vehemently. suddenly grabbed his head in pain again. He could feel strong emotions, someone else's emotions. Fear, anger, frustration and complete and utter despair. But these were not his own emotions they were…. Ricky's. "He drank the blood" Katze gasped as images started coming through the bond and flashing before his eyes.

Riki desperately fighting for his life against what looked like feral Vampires and strange half formed Were creatures. Riki was knocked on to his back and Katze could see the dark burnt outline of Guardian's spires.

No Riki!, Katze thought as his knees buckled under the onslaught of information.

Raoul caught Katze as he started to fall, bracing him against his chest in a loving embrace.

"Iason," Raoul questioned, "I can feel someone else with a link to Katze, I can see images through their eyes. What is this we can only have one life mate!"

Iason steepled his fingers deep in thought, "I believe our dear Katze has made a Childer bond with this abomination of his and it seems but it has been reactivated. We must find this Riki and destroy him…"

"Guardian, Iason, that is where all our answers lie, and now," Raoul said looking down at Katze in his arms, "I know exactly where it is…"


End file.
